Bearing.



D. J. KELLY, DEGD. A. H. KELLY, ADMINISTRATOR.

BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED SEBT.26,1913.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lI D. J. KELLY, DEGD.

A. H. KELLY, ADMINISTRATOR.

BEARING.

- APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 2a, 1913.

L 1 3 Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 was DAVID J. KELLY, 0F SALT LAKE CITYJUTAH; .A. 11 KELLY, ADIUNISTRATOR OF SAID DAVID J". KELLY, DECEASED, ASS'IG-NOR TO THE KELLY EILTER PRESS COMPANY, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, A CORPORATION OF UTAH.

BEARING.

. i l 1,130,674. r l

To all whom it may concern: i 1

Be it known that I, DAVID J. KELLY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Salt of the parts and the constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts substantially as hereinafter described and'claimed.-

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in whichsimilar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partially in elevation, of a fluid-tight. bearing embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a plan view of the same,

showing a portion of a tank or receptacle to which the bearing is secured. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a tank provided with my improved fluid-tight-bearing and containing a movably-mounted float, a part of the tank being broken away. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of Fig. 3.

The construction set forth in the drawings and which shows one embodiment of my invention, is intended to permit partial rotation of an element, as a shaft, in opposite directions alternately, and is not intended to permit continuous rotation in one direction only. a

It is well understood by tnose'skilled in the art that in the ordinary stuffing-boxes, there is friction between the packing and the rotating membe which is a serious draw-back where sensitiveness is required. If the tension is relaxed on the packing, leakage is liable to occur, and this is objectionable for obyious reasons. It will also be understood that the end thrust caused by the difference in pressure upon opposite ends of a rotating member, and usually taken up by a so-called thrust bearing commonly causes friction. To overcome the foregoing and other difficulties which are often met with where a liquid tight joint Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Application filed September 26, 1913. Serial No. 792,039.

is of importance, present invention.

While my invention may be used in 'dif ferent relations and wherever it is desirable to produce a liquid-tight bearing or joint for a rotatable part,,which is designed to tlghtly seal the joint against external pressure, such as the pressure which would be exerted against the exterior of the joint where the joint is exposed to an internal pressure, within a tank or vessel, I have primanly in view the use of the present invention In connection with apparatus for filterng slimes and the like, such as is disclosed in my prior patent No. 1,024,082, dated is a leading object of the April 23, 1912. I desire it understood, how? ever, that the present invention is not limlted tothe type of apparatus therein shown; that it has broader application and that it may be used in any connection where it is desired to produce a fluid-tight joint for an element which is designed for rotation in opposite directions alternately, wherever the employment of an element of substantially this character may be found useful.

For present purposes I have shown my invention, in Figs. 3 and 4, as associated with a suitably constructed tank, or receptacle, T, capable of holding a fluid such as mineral slimes pulp, which tank may be open at the top if the same is to be used with some form of suction apparatus, for withdrawing the contents of the tank; the tank may also represent one of a closed type intended to be associatedwith mechanism for producing an internal pressure, or with pressure feeding means. These features, however, form no part of my present invention and hence they are not illustrated in detail.

My improved bearing, which is the leading characteristic of the present invention, consists of a rotatable shaft, A, which may be either solid or hollow and is herein shown hollow, certain portions of the shaft being preferably enlarged to form thrust collars, E, F, and the inner end of sald shaft beingfurther enlarged to form a head, A, provided with a lateral opening, adapted to receive an arm, I, of a float or like part, which I will hereinafter describe, the arm of said float extending through the lateral opening of the shaft, A, and being remov- Surrounding the shaft, A, and extending for the full length of the portion there of included between the thrust collars, is a sleeve or casing, B, the interior diameter of which approximates the exterior diameter of that portion of the shaft between the aforesaid collars, and the ends of the collar being recessed to form appropriate seats between which and the thrust collars a series of balls or like elements arev employed to form an antifriction bearing and which bearing may represent any approved and well known form of thrust-bearing.

The central portion of the sleeve or casing, B, is provided with a flange, L, adapted to be fitted to an exterior side or wall of the tank or vessel to which my invention is shown applied, and to be secured thereto by means of appropriate nuts, W. If desired, a packing, Q, may be introduced between the flange and the wall of the tank to better secure the joint at this point.

The inner end of the sleeve and by which end I mean the part which enters the tank and is submerged in the contents thereof, and is subjected to the pressure of the tank,

is preferably turned down, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided with a series of packing rings, or bands, C, of suitable material, and whose exterior diameter is about equal to Y the exteriordiameter of the sleeve, or casing,

B, said rings being contained between the shoulder formed by reducing the inner end of the sleeve or casing and the thrust collar adj acent'the enlargedportion or head of the shaft.

Fitting over that portion of the sleeve or casing which enters the tank is a flexible tube, D, of appropriate material, preferably pure gum, said tube having sufficient length to not only embrace the portion of the easing immediately below or to one side of the flange, L, thereof, but to extend over the series of rin s, Q, and sufiiciently beyond the inner end 0 the sleeve or casing as to permit it to receive and cover the adjacent end of the enlargement or head of the shaft, A, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1, the purpose of which construction, will be hereinafter described.

The outer end of the sleeve, B, is threaded or otherwise formed to detachably receive a hollow cap, K, having a central openin through which projects the threaded exten ed end of said shaft. Embracing the shaft and contained within the cap aresuitable lock-nuts, Y, adapted to adjust the ball bearings, E and F, in the usual manner.

On the threaded exterior portion of the shaft, A, is secured a removable cross-piece,

M the opposite ends of which areprovided with sockets, or the like adapted to detach- Figs. 3 and 4..

. ably receive, at either side of the cross piece,

the inner end of an arm, G, said arm being fixedlysecured to the cross-piece by means of a bolt, ()1, or other securing device, and the cross-piece itself being rigidly locked to the shaft by a bolt or other fastening, whereby a rocking movement of the. arm will be transmitted to the shaft to' impart partial rotation thereto. In Fig. 1, the shaft is shown as being hollow and to the outer extremity of said shaft is connected an elbow or coupling, U, which will furnish means for the attachment of a'nsuction apparatus, when the same is used for drawing the contents ofthe tank from the interior to the exterior thereof, as I will presently show.

Upon the arm, G, is a weight, H, which is capable of adjustment thereon and of being held in any adjusted position by means of a set screw, P, or analogous part, the outer end of the arm extending through a slotted guide, V, if desired} as shown in The arm, ,I, heretoforereferred to, and which is secured to the inner or head end of the shaft, A, may represent either a solid shaft or a hollow tube. In the illustration used for present purposes, it is hollow and is supposed to connect with the interior of a float, or filter, J, to conduct from the interior of this filter the liquid which has passed through the filter to the interior thereof, and to deliver said liquid to the shaft, A, and thence to a point outside ofthe tank. If a filter is employed, the purpose and operation ofthe same may be substantially as disclosed in my aforesaid prior Patent No. 1,024,.Q82, .it being understood that such a filter is of a floating character and is adapted to be submerged in the liquid contents of the tank, and, where the tank contains slimes pulp or the like, the filter is designed to build upon the outside thereof a cake-of solid matter separated from the liquid contents, which latter penetrate the walls of the filter and and from thence are con ucted by the hollow. arm, I, and hollow shaft, A, tothe outside of the tank. This result is facilitated by attaching a suction device to the elbow or the tank will be caused to pass throughthe filter and shaft, A, to an exterior point while 11o ass to the interior the solid material is arrested upon the outer surface of the filter and thereby forms a cake. This accumulated deposit 'of solids weighs more than the surroundingshmes pulp, with which the tank is charged, and the gradually accumulating weight of this cake on the filter which is located'at one side of the shaft, A, will overbalance the Weight, H, on the arm, G,which is fixed to the rotatable shaft, whenever the Wei ht of the cake exceeds that of the weight, and when this occurs the filter will gradually sinkmore deeply into the surrounding fluid. It will be understood that the point at which the weight, H, will be overcome by the accumulated collection of solids on the filter may be regulated at pleasure by shifting the weight, H, along the arm, G.

:The shaft, A, and this shaft may represent a rod or like part, is designed .to move very freely, and to this end I have provided ball-bearings at opposite ends thereof, and as the shaft is partially rotated, the elastic sleeve, B, which embraces the rings, C, and

sleeve or casing, B, as also the enlarged head of the shaft, is placed under a slight torsion, but the rings, 0, are loosely mounted on the reduced portionof the sleeve or casing, B, and are designedto move freely therearound as the elastic sleeve is placed in torsion. The rings support the central portion of the flexible sleeve against the pressure contained within the tank, T, or against any external pressure'to which the flexible sleeve might be subjected, this flexible sleeve extending over a portion of the enlarged head of the shaft and also over a portion of the exterior of the sleeve or casing, B, so as to insure a good leak-proof joint between these parts.

It will be understood from this description that as pressure is applied to the submerged portion of my hearing, and which submerged portion will be that portion with in the tank and subjected to the pressure thereof, the flexible sleeve will be caused to grip the partswhich it covers and thereby prevent leakage. .The ball bearing,v F, receives the end thrust when pressure is applied to the tank, T, and makes the friction negligible. The stop, V, is designed to regulate the up and down travel of the free end of' the float-carrier arm, G, and, if desired, the stop and the arm may be wired in the usual manner for an electric signal, such as a hell or a light, the circuit being made when the arm, G, contacts with the stop,-V. It will also be understood that the movement of the arm, G, which is controlled by the movement of the element which is carried by the arm, or shaft, 1, maybe employed to open or close valves, or in fact for any purpose designed for automatic control and where such up and down movement of an element may be used to advantage.

The character of guide employed for con} trolling the movement-of the arm, G, is unimportant and, to this end, I have shown at X, another. form of stop which will hunt the rising .and falling motion of thefloat. In this instance thestop is placed in the tank adjacent the float and the latter has a projecting pant operating between the walls of the stop and; limited in its motion there by. In the case of the element, J, being .a float, its weight varies in response to the depth of submergence of the float in the liquid, and. the weight arm is moved up or down according to the variation in level of liquid contents of the tank.

The application of" my improved bearing to cake indicators and float mechanism, re-

ferred to, is simply illustrative and I wish it understood that I do not limit my'invention to these particular applications or to the art inwhich they have been used, but

that I consider the invention as capable of more general application and as including any field in which the invention may be employed to advantage.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A hearing, comprising an outer casing, packing rings rotatably mounted on one end thereof, ashaft within the casing having an extended end enlarged to substantially the same diameter as the rings and adapted to make a thrust bearing against the end of the casing, and a flexible sleeve covering adjacent portions of the casing, the rings, the thrust bearing, and the extended portion of the rotatable shaft.

2. A hearing comprising an outericasing,

'of fluid under pressure, said bearing comprising means for the prevention of leakage of fluids to the atmosphere, and said means including a flexible sleeve adapted to free torsional movement and covering a portion ofthe movable shaft and a portion of the .;stationary casing in which the shaft is rotatably mounted, and packing rings between the flexible sleeve and easing.

4. A bearing comprising a casing, a shaft .rotatably mounted 1n and having its ends projecting through, said casing, a flexible sleeve covering one of the projecting ends of the shaft and the adjacent portion of the casing, packing rings between the casing and sleeve and means for attaching the taching the casing to the receptacle, a rotak table shaft mounted in and projecting from the ends of the casing, a flexible sleeve covering a portion of the stationary casing and a portion of the rotatable shaft inside the receptacle, ball-bearings to provide for end thrust and rotation o f the shaft, an annular 'packingon the casing for supporting the flexible sleeve against external pressure, and an exterior extension of the shaft for transmitting motion to or from the interior of the rece tacle.

6. A fluid-tight bearing-comprising two coacting members one disposed within the other, one of said members" being rotatable relatively to the other, and means engaging both of said members and subjected to a torsional tension when said movable member is partially rotated with respect to the companion fixed member, ,and a paclnng between said means and one of said members and subjected to the pressure of the torsional tension of the former.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID J. KELLY. Witnesses:

Gr. F. SUMMERS, J. C. Cnmwmnn. 

